Rise of the Drakon
by pizmohbro
Summary: During an ordinary day in the Central Park Zoo, a mysterious new animal arrives after closing time. The thing is, this animal is the penguins' new roommate. The other thing is, this animal is a female penguin - a very mysterious female penguin who has a shady past, emotional conflicts, and a shocking secret. This is a Penguins of Madagascar fan fiction. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

ONE

**(?'s POV)**

There I was, in the trees of my favorite park in New Jersey. I leapt from tree to tree with such grace and swiftness that I could feel the wind rushing past my face. I barely touched the rough bark of the tall oaks. It would even be peaceful had there not been Animal Control officers in hot pursuit.

Yes, I was a fugitive from the law - or at least the humans thought so. I did nothing wrong, but I did make the mistake that my kind was welcome in the states…apparently not. And although I wasn't exactly what humans would call a pest, my species was still extremely rare in these parts and most other parts of the planet. I would not allow myself to be captured. Who knows what the humans would do to me if they found the source of my unnatural energy?

The Animal Control officers were closing in on me. Adrenaline surged through my veins. I forced myself to move faster, which was almost physically impossible. A bang echoed through the night. Something sharp pierced my backside. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground. The forest swirled in a mass of colors, transforming into an optical illusion. The humans' shouting approached rapidly. A metallic pattern fell around me: a cage. No! This couldn't be! I was physically and mentally superior - how did they catch me?

With that thought lingering about and my incapability of any movement whatsoever, I involuntarily fell into a deep slumber.

**(Skipper's POV)**

I was in a large cave. It must have been 100 degrees F inside. Lava surrounded me. A dark shape lurked in the distance. The thing had two very big yellow eyes. I didn't know what it was - perhaps a reptile. Its vertical pupils focused on me. It examined me as if deciding what to do next. It opened its mouth slowly. The last thing I saw was an enormous set of jagged white teeth.

I woke up with a start. I had been having that nightmare for a week, but I didn't know what it meant. Hmm.

Above me, I heard my soldier Kowalski's soft snoring. I was about to jump down when I remembered how high off the ground I was. Below me were the resting young Private and Rico. I lowered myself onto the concrete foundation without making a sound. Then I made my way outside.

It was mildly dark when I reached topside, so I assumed it was about 'o five hundred hours. The first rays of dawn peeked over the horizon, some blocked out by the numerous skyscrapers. Pink and orange streaked across the sky. The sight pleased me.

"What are you doing up so early, Skipper?" My heart lurched slightly in response to this unexpected interruption.

"I might ask you the same question, Private," I replied to the voice without turning around. Private has a higher pitched voice and a British accent - or English, whatever you want to call it - so singling out his voice is no problem.

He waddled up to my left side and explained, "I heard you open the security hatch. Is there something wrong?"

Panicked, I said something really smart like, "Uhhhh…" No one else could know about my dreams. That would just start trouble. All I could do was keep it hidden until I could figure something out.

"Why did you come out here anyway?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" I whined playfully to divert the topic. This obviously was one of my better days; otherwise I wouldn't be so mellow. Or maybe I was tired from the lack of sleep - no, it couldn't be. Sleep deprivation, as I once discovered the hard way because of a certain trio of lemurs, caused me to grow crabby and paranoid. More than usual, I mean.

Private just gave a shaky laugh and hugged himself. I figured he was cold, so I asked him. Again, I was amazed at how congenial I was acting that morning. I had a feeling it would change soon.

"Yes, sir," he answered.

"Come here, then," I urged. Private leaned against me and I put my wing across his shoulders. Isn't it strange how a penguin can be cold at fifty-seven degrees Fahrenheit? I guess it doesn't matter. We haven't been in the cold south in a long, long time.

**(?'s POV)**

I woke up in a dark place. For a second, I thought I was dead. But then I felt the wooden oak walls around me and I knew I was alive. And I also knew I was in a very bad situation. I was in a wooden crate, being shipped somewhere in a truck. Don't ask me how I knew, because the source of my information is strictly off limits at this time.

I never could have guessed that the humans would be able to catch me. I thought that they would tire out and eventually give up, putting off the difficult task of hunting me down for the next day. Thirty times's a charm, I suppose.

The scent of river water wafted into the crate: the Hudson River. The odor of the toxins in the river was so strong that there was no denying it. I have highly developed senses, so no surprise there. The humans were taking me to New York. I would have expected them to dump me at any random Jersey zoo or at a science facility in Japan. What did New York have to offer?

_My way out_, I thought to myself with a smile, even though I was in quite a bit of pain. My plan was working.

**(Skipper's POV)**

I do enjoy sunrise. Beautiful mornings are one of the joys in my life. Who doesn't love the daily birth of the star that gives life to our planet? The sky turns into a canvas of vibrant colors. It's like seeing an extremely messed up rainbow, but better. Had I said that to anyone in person, they would probably try and lock me up forever. Everyone thinks I'm a cold-hearted beast, and they better believe it. I do have a small soft spot, though. It's rarely seen, but it's there. I just don't want anyone to see it.

Private gave me a nudge and beckoned towards the hatch. It was time to wake the rest of the team. This was one of my day's highlights.

In the lair, I took the megaphone and put it near Kowalski's face. I turned it on and screamed, "UP AND AT 'EM, KOWALSKI!" He woke up with a cry of surprise and hit his head on the cement above. Kowalski rubbed the spot that hurt and yawned. I was satisfied and set the megaphone down while he gave me a glare of discontent.

I climbed to Rico's bunk. He doesn't wake easily, so I smacked him. "Wha?" he grumbled as he woke. That's when I lost my balance and slipped. I grabbed Rico's flipper, and we both fell to the floor. A moment later I heard three different sounds: a bang, Kowalski's yelp and Rico's grunt. I turned around and saw what had happened. Kowalski had fallen off the top bunk and landed on Rico. They were wrestling.

"You boys are a bunch of lollipops," I scolded. They sat there and smiled in embarrassment.

We went through the motions that day. Nothing special happened. It was when the zoo closed that things heated up.

The bell rang and the humans left. The smile and wave routine could be put to rest for now. It was time to relax. I scoped the area and noticed that Alice the whacky zookeeper was headed straight for us with a...crate...in her hands. I guessed relaxing would have to wait.

"I reckon there's an animal in there," Kowalski informed us. Thank you, Captain Obvious. That crate was shaking violently. What could cause it other than an extremely aggressive or dangerous animal?

"Ack! Get in there, you stupid animal!" Alice yelled as she threw the crate down into our exhibit. "Okay, I better get the vet." With that, she ran off. How unusual. She was usually deadly afraid of savage animals. I was surprised that she wasn't wearing any protection and was in such a rush to find the doctor. Could it be that the invader wasn't dangerous at all? Even injured?

"Kowalski, what do you think is in there?" Private asked. Kowalski waddled over to the crate and examined it. He swiped the semi-light wood with his flipper and did a taste test. Then he took a gander at the location code.

"Skipper, this oak crate has been shipped from northern New Jersey in a large truck. Whatever is inside is breathing heavily, perhaps due to severe injury," he reported.

"Interesting…" I replied. How odd, was more like it. Who would possibly bunk with us? Immediately I thought of my puffin enemy, Hans. My blood ran cold. He must have returned for another revenge.

Suddenly, the crate started to shake again.

"Ahh!" Private yelped and jumped behind me.

"Rico, prepare a New York welcome," I barked, the puffin's face still in my mind.


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

(?'s POV)

Voices. As soon as I punched a hole in the wood, I heard voices. This was my escape, but the hole I punched wasn't big enough. I backed up against the opposite wall and rammed with my remaining strength. Within the next few seconds, I was on the ground with a severe stomach ache.

"Kowalski, is that what I think it is?" came a commanding, yet suave voice.

A different voice, which must have been this Kowalski's, replied, "If you're thinking penguin, the answer is yes. It would appear that this penguin in particular is a female."

"A…a girl?" a new voice with a foreign accent said.

"Precisely," Kowalski answered.

The one with the foreign accent seemed to think for a moment before saying, "Please don't tell me you think she's a spy, too, sir. After all, she is a penguin. Don't penguins always stick together?"

The suave voice responded, "Fellow penguins are always welcome, Private. I just wonder why she's here…"

Finally, I opened my eyes. I was wheezing pretty badly. My ribs were on fire. The damage to my body consisted of bruising and possibly some broken bones. Wait…where did I get these injuries from? I couldn't remember anything that happened during the past week. What day was it? Where was I? Why was I hurt? Who were the creatures watching over me?

I stood up slowly to prevent further pain from injury. Looking around, I saw that I was in a zoo. This habitat had an island, a bowl filled with fish, and a pool of water. A black iron fence surrounded the perimeter. Outside the exhibit, I saw paved paths and some other animal habitats. I couldn't see any other animals.

It was sunset. The colorful clouds swirled up above. The sun was fat and orange, sinking down to the horizon. There was a break in the clouds. I could see something gray. It gave me a not-so-good feeling. What was that thing? A storm cloud, perhaps? Impossible. It wasn't supposed to rain that night.

I glanced around me after feeling an uncomfortable prickling sensation in my chest. Four male penguins stood in front of me. Suddenly, I felt self-conscious. What were they staring at me for? I tried my best to shrink and hide my injuries, just in case they had any thoughts of attacking me.

The shortest one with light blue eyes was staring at me in awe for some reason. The tallest with shining blue eyes was watching me with deep interest, like a human would an informative television show. The one with a scar on his beak and blue-green eyes was looking off into the distance, paying no attention whatsoever.

The relatively short one with the heavy brow took a step forward. His sapphire blue eyes bore into me. I had a bad feeling about this one. He seemed aggressive. Was my appearance unexpected or something? Who put me in this place, anyway?

He asked, "What's your name, stranger?" Ah, this was Mr. Suave Voice.

I managed to cough out in a raspy voice, "Sylvia." My head pulsed and my vision blurred. He looked surprised for a split second. Then he drew closer. He made a motion with his flipper. The tall one started to waddle over to me, but I fell to the ground before he could take two steps.

(Skipper's POV)

She passed out before Kowalski could run an examination on her injuries. At least we had her name. Sylvia. That name said something to me, though I wasn't sure what it could be.

"Skipper, if I may?," Kowalski queried. I nodded in approval and he went to work.

"Did you see the scar on her face?" Private whimpered quietly. Yes, I did. There was a jagged scar running across Sylvia's left eye. She may have gotten scratched by something. Something big. The scar left an impression on me. This penguin was one with a past.

"Done, sir," Kowalski reported.

"Report," I commanded.

"It would appear that Sylvia sustained injury to the radius and the thoracic vertebrae-" he began.

"English," I growled in annoyance.

"…Right. A few of her ribs are broken, along with a flipper, and bruising over most of her body," he informed me. I started to say something about getting her inside when Alice reappeared with the vet.

"Huh. I wonder how it got out. Anyway, there's the new penguin and- what is that?" Alice exclaimed. She turned Sylvia's body over, revealing purple marks and a flipper that was bent the wrong way. I didn't realize the extent of her injuries before, because, well, she was trying so hard to hide them. Sylvia really needed medical attention. I wouldn't have suggested the zoo's vet, but I suppose she deserved it after intruding so unexpectedly.

The vet took her away while Alice stayed to gather the crate remains. As she picked up the last piece, the grumpy zookeeper said, "I hope you all get along. This is permanent." She shot me a look and stalked off.

Later that night, we were still baffled at the appearance of Sylvia, especially Kowalski. His expression told me something was very wrong, but his voice wasn't confirming that. I for one, was feeling extremely paranoid - why was there a female penguin bunking with us? Whose idea was this, anyway? How could we be sure she wasn't some sort of spy, even though she was one of our own?

Nobody tried to calm me down, which was good. All the paranoia would help me to defend our secrets against this…interloper. However, as Sylvia was a permanent addition, I supposed she would be allowed to know about our HQ and zoo missions. After all, she was a penguin. A penguin is a penguin, and we never swim alone. Still…I didn't very much like the idea of having a female with us. I hoped she wouldn't be anything like-

I dismissed the thought. I didn't want to remember.

No sooner did I make my decision to welcome our roommate than the vet returned holding a struggling penguin in his arms. "Calm down, little friend" he told her. How nauseating. The vet looked at us. "Be nice to her, okay?" He put her down and walked away.

(Sylvia's POV)

I hated that vet. It was extremely annoying, the way he talked to me as if we were friends. I would never be friends with him, nor would I ever be friends with any other human being.

A wave of dizziness crashed over my head again. I began to sway, but someone caught me. When I looked up, it was one of the penguins - the one whose eyes were a perfect shade of blue.

"Well, er, how do you feel?" he asked me. I remembered that was Kowalski's voice.

"Kowalski," I stated clearly. He nodded. I regained my footing and glanced at the other three.

"Allow me to introduce the team. I'm Skipper. And these two are Private and Rico. You already know Kowalski, apparently. You said your name was Sylvia, am I right?" Mr. Suave voice asked. Alright, so his name was Skipper. There was an edge to Skipper's voice again, as if he were suspicious about me. I nodded, knowing what their next question would be.

"How did you get that scar?" Private queried. I knew someone would ask, but I couldn't stop myself from cringing.

"Private!" Skipper scolded and smacked him. I felt a pang in my heart for the kid.

"I'm sorry," Private apologized.

"Where am I?" I questioned, having found my normal voice, after scoping the area. A shadow crossed over Skipper's face for a split second. It frightened me a little. I found myself growing more afraid of him with every second I spent in his presence.

Rico said something like, "Oo Ok."

"New York," Kowalski corrected.

"Uh oh," I whimpered, losing focus of Skipper. They just stared at me with curiosity etched all over their expressions, so I told them what would intertwine our fates. "I'm from New Jersey. Not a zoo - the wild. Listen, I can't be seen outside these walls ever again and I really need to get back for reasons I can't tell you right now or you'll freak out," I explained. Instantly, their expressions changed from confusion to shock.

(Skipper's POV)

"New Jersey? Is that even possible?" I declared and gawked at Kowalski. It wasn't really the fact that Sylvia was from the wild in Jersey that bothered me. What really made my skin crawl was the fact that she was from Jersey, period. New Jersey was a disease-riddled cesspool. This could only mean trouble. Kowalski shrugged in response.

"I-I don't really remember...everything is fuzzy. I have this slight on and off short term memory loss, but things usually come back to me later on," Sylvia stammered. Memory loss? I exchanged glances with Kowalski. He mouthed something like, must have hit her head somewhere, to me. It probably wasn't amnesia. Sylvia was hiding...something. Her eyes darted all over the place. She was confused and clearly frightened.

"Would you happen to- go point that somewhere else, Rico! As I was saying, would you happen to remember how you acquired those broken bones?" Kowalski questioned while Rico proceeded to point a laser pointer somewhere else. Sylvia shook her head no. Of course not.

"Skipper, permission to- stop it, Rico! Permission to speak, sir?" Private asked. I knew what he wanted to ask her, and I have to admit, I also wanted to know. It could give me insight into Sylvia's life and her intentions towards us...and also why she was here. So, I nodded in approval. He turned towards Sylvia and asked, "Sylvia, do you remember how you got...that?" She hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded reluctantly.

"Sir, let's go inside. I have the strangest feeling we're being watched," Kowalski whispered.

I felt it, too. We were being watched, but we didn't know by what - or who - at the time.

(Sylvia's POV)

"Holy smokes..." I mumbled in astonishment. Their home was quite a marvel. It looked like a military base...were these commando penguins?

"What?" Skipper asked. Then with sudden realization he chuckled and waddled over to a cement table in the center of the room. Even with that half-smile, I could see the wariness in his eyes. He looked over at Rico, who was goofing around with a laser pointer.

"Rico, what the duce are you doing? Put the laser pointer away. While you're at it, whip us up some sushi," he piled on orders as he spoke. Rico nodded and regurgitated fish from his stomach. It seemed a bit, well, gross, but I would manage.

I muttered to myself, "I haven't had fish in a long, long time."

Rico began to chop fish into little bite sized chunks. My gaze travelled over to Kowalski. He was staring at me in disbelief. I knew what he was thinking: how can a penguin not eat fish? That was a complicated question I wouldn't have been willing to answer.

In a matter of minutes, dinner was ready. Private, Rico, and Kowalski ate in content. Skipper, on the other hand, took his sweet time to watch me slowly shovel fish into my mouth and sallow each bite dryly. He didn't even bother to make himself inconspicuous. Skipper stood straight with his flippers behind his back, not once looking down at his dinner. Every painstaking bite I took made me feel more uncomfortable than the last. It felt like my throat was constricting when I swallowed, and the fish lost all appeal to me. There was no flavor left, no hunger for more.

Defeated, I exhaled and pushed the plate aside. Only then did Skipper choose to eat. Even then, he never stopped watching me with his piercing eyes.

Am I a coward, or is he really trying to scare me? I thought to myself.

"So, uh...is it story-time?" Private interrupted the tension between Skipper and I.

"Oh, right. Let me see what I can remember…" I replied. My mind raced through time. Images of the past flashed through my mind, most of them blurred because I couldn't remember them.

They slowed on a crystal clear picture of the Echo Lake Park landscape in New Jersey. The full moon hung in the sky along with a few dozen stars. Wind chased me through the treetops. I leapt from branch to branch with my amazing agility.

Perhaps I felt a little too confident when I moved to thinner branches. I heard a sudden crack, and I landed hard on a scratchy surface. The dizzies passed and I rubbed my aching back. I stood up to take in my surroundings. It would appear that I landed in a bird's nest - a very large nest. The four eggs inside were white with black and brown speckles. A red tail feather rested not too far away.

Red-tailed hawk, I thought to myself. An alarm went off in my mind. I was in severe danger.

Just as I was about to move, something large swooped past me. I stumbled around in the nest. A sickening crack below told me that an egg had fallen out. The hawk wasn't happy about that. She flew straight at me again. I barely dodged her sharp talons. Another egg dive bombed and exploded on impact. The hawk screeched and came back once more. She locked her beak around my flipper and pulled, but not until I accidentally kicked another egg. The egg flew out of the nest and splattered everywhere. The angered hawk threw me down onto the ground. I landed hard. She pinned me down with her talons.

"You will pay for this!" she hissed. She raised a clawed foot and attacked, leaving me with a reminder that I should be more careful when jumping through tree tops. The pain I experienced was unbearable, and I bled uncontrollably. I was fortunate to get away from her so quickly.

"The rest eludes me," I concluded my story.

All was quiet.


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

(Skipper's POV)

An awkward silence ensued. Kowalski had that look on his face again. The concentration and brightness in his eyes that meant something just wasn't right. I felt it, too, but I couldn't piece any of this information together. Part of the puzzle was missing. Oh well. It wouldn't do any good to think any longer, not without some proper sleep - though I doubted I would be catching any z's that night. The nightmare would be coming back.

"Commence lights out protocol," I commanded, glancing at the clock with an uneasy feeling. Private yawned and climbed into the bottom bunk. Rico took the top, and Kowalski climbed below him. I was in between Kowalski and Private.

Sylvia climbed the ladder with a look of absolute terror. I wasn't sure if she knew how scared she appeared to us, but I didn't think it mattered. It had been my goal to put her in her place during dinner. I supposed it worked, though I felt a bit guilty for frightening her. No matter - pity never got me anywhere.

I knew I had fallen asleep when the temperature rose. Darkness surrounded me again. A weak light beamed down from a crack in the ceiling. A river of lava bubbled nearby. One flame flew at me. It singed my feathers and I yelped in shock. How was I in pain? This was just a dream.

My thoughts were interrupted when a growl echoed through the air. Was I in a cave underneath a volcano? A deep voice growled in a foreign language, followed by a roar. The entire cave shook. Pebbles fell from the crumbly ceiling. I lost my balance instantly. The floor gave away beneath me. I free fell straight into the enormous jaws of a monstrous creature with yellow reptilian eyes.

I woke up, my chest heaving as I gasped for breath. My lungs were constricted. A whimper escaped my throat as I struggled for oxygen. Kowalski appeared from above me with a startled expression. A moment passed and I managed to regulate my breathing.

"It's nothing," I assured him once I felt stable enough to speak. He didn't look very convinced, but went back to sleep anyway. My heartbeat returned to normal and I pondered about my dream. There had to be a reason why I kept dreaming about this particular creature.

(Sylvia's POV)

Dreams are not simply images fabricated by our sub-conscious minds. They come from a different dimension, one without boundaries. The very concept of dreams defies what we know about physics. A dream can be anything. It can be a word, an image, a sound - anything we can imagine. A dream is not controlled by the brain. The dream is created based upon emotion. What a creature fears, loves, regrets, or despises all factor in. Humans are not the only beings that may experience dreams. Any creature can. A human being is incapable of understanding what an animal dreams about because the complexity is immense.

Dreams are able to explain the inexplicable. They don't clear things up in an obvious way, however. It's the job of the dreamer to determine the message within a dream. In extreme cases, a dream is a warning. Creatures with supernatural abilities tend to experience these dreams. They often forecast danger and future events that cannot be avoided. All the host can do is brace itself for impact.

That very night, I found myself in one of those dreams. I knew it was a dream, as there was no ambience. The moon shone dully in the sky. The stars hid from view. A dark figure stood out amongst the shady trees. It sat in front of a sparkling lake. I recognized its shape. This couldn't be good news.

A voice that seemed to come from the dark figure said, "I need to find her. The Hidden Tavern is in grave danger. Come back to me, my dearest Sylvia..." Then the scenery dissolved like mist.

I was running out of precious time.

(Skipper's POV)

"Alright boys, chow time," I told the crew.

"Breakfast is an essential part of everyone's day," Kowalski stated.

"Right...let's eat then!" Private cheered. We began our meal in silence. No one spoke at all, which was quite unusual. Normally we would have talked about the plans of the day, but now that Sylvia had arrived, there was no telling what could happen.

"What are we doing today, Skipper?" Private asked me after a while. I didn't answer. Instead, I looked down at the table in a rare moment of profound thought.

"Sir? We are training today, aren't we? Like you say, we have to stay frosty. Er, Skipper?" Kowalski tried to catch my attention. His attempt failed horribly.

I heard a whispered conversation across from me. My name was mentioned several times. What would they possibly want to hide from me, their leader? I'd have to watch them carefully from now on.

(Sylvia's POV)

"One, two, three..." I kept my pace as I threw punches and kicks all over the place. "And…done," I finished physical training. Now it was time for thinking. There was something extremely important that had to be done, as I had learned from last night's dream. That voice was trying to warn me. There was less time than I had originally anticipated. I would have to ask the penguins for help - it was the only way to recover my book. The book was important. I needed it to complete the verse. Without the verse, the world…what was going to happen again? I couldn't remember. I felt...weakened. It almost seemed like my energy was being drained...

"Who are you?" a voice interrupted my thought.

I shrieked in surprise and jumped into fighting stance. My heart beat out of my chest until I realized that it was just an Asian otter.

"Urk! Calm down, you gave me a heart attack! I'm Marlene. Is Skipper around?" the otter asked. I gave her a heart attack? Oh, indeed!

Wanting to get the stranger off my back as son as possible, I waddled to the hatch and opened it.

"Skipper! Some Marlene otter wants to see you!" I bellowed.

"What's go- oh, hey there, Marlene," Skipper greeted once he poked his head out of the opening. I rolled my eyes impatiently.

"Skipper, I hear you guys are working on a project and I came to-" Marlene began.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Where did you hear that extremely classified information from?" Skipper interrupted. His eyes were cold as he glared at Marlene.

"It's a rumor that's been flying around-" she tried to explain, but was cut off again.

"Exactly! A rumor! Not true, not the slightest bit true!" he insisted. The otter stared at him with doubt.

"Mmmhhmm," Marlene scoffed. I was just taking in the scene as if they were speaking some foreign language. Skipper noticed this.

"Marlene, this is Sylvia. Sylvia, this is Marlene," he introduced us. I crossed my wings and watched her, waiting. She seemed friendly, or maybe it was just the welcoming look in her eyes that seemed so familiar...and so terrifying.

I was about to say something when I felt a stab of pain where my ribs were broken. A wince escaped from my beak and I reached the spot that stung. I forgot to mention, the annoying vet had wrapped bandages from just below my chest, all the way down to my hips. I felt like a mummy, except for the obvious fact: I wasn't dead. Yet.

Skipper gawked at me curiously. I waved my flipper to indicate that I was fine.

"Anyway, what zoo are you from? Or, possibly, aquarium?" Marlene asked. My expression twisted in disgust at such a thought.

"Why must you judge me!" I cried angrily and jumped over the fence. I didn't know where I was going, but it didn't matter to me.

(Skipper's POV)

"Was it something I said?" Marlene wondered.

"It's not you, it's her," I said. I told her everything we knew about Sylvia. Marlene listened intently and soon asked why Sylvia was here in the first place. I had been thinking the same thing the entire time, and I really needed an answer. Marlene went back to her habitat and I dropped through the hatch.

"Kowalski! I need options!" I called out.

"Options for what?" Kowalski asked as he wandered out of his lab.

"We need to get some answers from Sylvia. And we need a plan," I explained.

"Okay, how about interrogating?" Kowalski suggested.

"No, she might get scared," I pointed out, thinking of last night's dinner.

"Negotiation?" he gave me another option.

"Bingo! Let's go find her," I agreed.

"I suggest the park first," Kowalski noted.

"Kowalski and Private, you two come with me. Rico, stay and guard the base. Some of our classified information slipped somehow, and we don't need anyone stopping by to snoop around," I commanded. Rico saluted me and we were off.

At the park, we saw Fred the squirrel in his tree. Maybe he had seen Sylvia pass by, though I doubted he would say anything useful. I allowed Kowalski to question him anyway.

"Fred! Have you seen a penguin around here today?" Kowalski called.

"Yes," Fred responded.

"Where?" Kowalski asked.

"Here."

"When?"

"Now."

"Not us! A female penguin!" Kowalski's voice was calm but had an irritated edge to it. Fred was getting on his nerves. Mine, too.

"Wait, I thought you were all guys," Fred said. Of course. Only Fred would ask such a stupid question.

"We are all males! We are looking for a female penguin that came to the park earlier!" Kowalski was frustrated at this point. If the two kept at it, his head would explode and we'd have Einstein brains splattered all over the place.

"But then-" Fred began.

"Forget it!" I cut him off for Kowalski's sake. Fortunately, the ducks were waddling past.

"Excuse me, madam! Have you seen a female penguin around here?" I questioned to save Kowalski a headache.

"Oh, yes. She's at the pond. But she doesn't seem too happy," she answered.

"Thanks," Private thanked her.

(Sylvia's POV)

So I was thinking about how I ended up in New York City. It was strange, I could hardly remember anything from two days before…I could only remember being chased by something…

All of a sudden, it hit me: Animal Control. A vivid image appeared in my mind; I had been jumping through trees at a park, oak trees in Echo Lake. That's where I lived. A picture of an Animal Control officer with a tranquilizer gun flashed through my mind. That must have been where the gunshot sound came from. The sharp needle must have been the dart. I must have gotten dizzy and slipped on a branch after that, because I suddenly remembered being on the ground…with a horrible pain on my right side. That was the side I landed on. The last thing I could remember was everything getting blurry before waking up in the darkness of the crate on the truck. I knew it was a truck because of the horn and nauseating fumes. It was a sixteen wheeler.

"There you are!" Skipper's voice came from behind me. I opened my eyes and found my reflection staring at me from the water. I never noticed how odd the scar looked.

"I see you found your way to the park," he observed. That was some pretty pathetic small talk. Clearly, they were here for a reason. I waited.

"So, we can help you get back to New Jersey," Kowalski stated. I stopped staring at my reflection and faced them. Rico wasn't there. Must have stayed home.

"How?" I asked cautiously. There was no telling if they were trying to trick me into something.

"If you answer two - no, three - questions, we can take you there. But like you said, you can never be seen outside the zoo walls ever again, so you'll have to come back," Skipper explained. His voice still had that wary edge to it. Was he always paranoid?

"Shoot," I told him.

"First off, where did you come from?" he asked.

"Echo Lake, New Jersey," I responded.

"How did you get here?" he shot another question at me.

"Animal Control caught me," I replied.

"Why do you need to go back?" he fired his last question. I hesitated here. If I told them, it could end in disaster like all the other times…but then again, these four penguins could be the ones…

Skipper was looking at me expectantly with those piercing eyes.

"There's a book in a hollow tree that I need. It's vitally important. I'll get into details later if you really want to know," I explained as much as I dared.

"Excuse us for uno momento," he said. I nodded and he started whispering to the others. I will be honest, I was a little anxious to know what they were talking about. I kept my distance, though, mostly out of fear that Skipper would drop kick me. Skipper turned back around and beckoned to me. "Come with us to the base while we prepare for departure," he directed.


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

(Skipper's POV)

We bustled around back at HQ, collecting all the supplies we would need for the trip to New Jersey. I sure was glad we wouldn't be going to Hoboken, but I had never heard of Echo Lake. Perhaps that was just the name of the park.

While the boys and I practically shoved the necessities down Rico's throat, I could sense Sylvia's eyes on me. A strong feeling in my gut told me that she wanted me to make eye contact, that she was one glance away from learning all my secrets. But another feeling told me that she was on guard and afraid. I didn't know which it could be, but someone else might have.

I pretended not to notice her stares as I planned the journey with the boys. I turned to Kowalski and pulled him aside.

"Is she staring at me?" I whispered so that he was the only one who could hear.

He looked over my shoulder and answered, "Yes. She seems afraid, yet, intrigued." Then he continued preparations. So Sylvia wasn't trying to probe my insides, and she was indeed frightened by my mere presence. But intrigued? Why would she be intrigued?

I suddenly heard a crash on my left that interrupted my train of thought and saw Rico in a pile of regurgitated fish. My first instinct was to scold him for being unable to keep his stomach intact, as I normally would have. I almost didn't. The seconds it took me to react in that single moment of time was much longer than usual. It must have been Sylvia. She was constantly on my mind now, and I couldn't shake the thought that something was going on in that brain of hers. Something devious.

I finally managed to snap out of the trance I was in. "Rico!" I exclaimed sharply. He just shrugged and muttered something I couldn't hear. The crazy penguin began to gather the fish and gulp them down.

"Skipper, we're all set," Kowalski informed me as soon as Rico finished cleaning up. I nodded and the four of us waddled to the ladder. A chill shot down my spine before I could touch the bottom rung. I instantly knew Sylvia was staring at me again. I told the others to meet us topside. When Sylvia and I were alone, I faced her. She wore the same expression she had at last night's dinner. Now was the time to find out what was going on.

Hesitantly, I asked, "Are you scared?"

"What of?" she shot back immediately. The intensity of her voice caught me by surprise. I was nearly stunned into silence - nearly.

"Of...us. Of...me?" I stammered.

"No..." she started, then paused and looked straight into my eyes. She continued her sentence, "...just curious."

(Sylvia's POV)

We waited until sunset to confront the zoo animals at the entrance. The other penguins told me to stay low. They wanted to introduce me without creating a fuss.

Skipper hopped onto a table while Kowalski, Private and Rico stood on a chair and watched as he waited for everyone to shut their yappers. I noticed a separation of ranks. Skipper, as the leader, was on the higher perch. The rest of the flock was on a lower perch. The three were submissive to Skipper because they wanted him to be their leader, not because he fought his way to the top like wolves would have done. I would know, I lived with wolves for many years. Seeing animals establishing leadership differently after all that was strange to me.

Skipper must have waited for five minutes before the audience finally settled down. He swept his cold blue eyes over the crowd, amused by their poor behavior.

"Mammals," he muttered under his breath. I disagreed, as many mammals I had met were actually quite intelligent. However, I did notice that there were no reptiles hanging out in the audience. It was pretty hot that summer, which explained a lot. Reptiles don't do well in extremes. In fact, the heat only seemed to get worse. It made me a little uneasy.

"Now, before I cut to the chase, I would like to -" Skipper began his sixty second speech. Before he could continue, a ring tailed lemur yawned loudly. Skipper glared at him with intense hatred. I sensed an upcoming conflict.

"What?" the lemur asked. He had a foreign accent, perhaps French or Indian. That was peculiar, considering that lemurs hailed from Madagascar.

"Do you mind letting me speak so we can get this over with?" Skipper growled, clearly irritated.

"Yes, I do mind," the lemur replied. The silence only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough for me to read Skipper's expression. He thought Julien was incompetent, foolish, and lacking in the intelligence department. None of those tags were too far from the truth, actually. The ringtail's mind was incredibly weak. I could tell just by observing his body language and outward appearance.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Skipper glared at the lemur some more, "a new animal arrived in our habitat last night. Her name is Sylvia." He beckoned to me. I jumped onto the chair, then the table. A sea of animals' faces was watching my every move. I focused on the ring tailed lemur. He was watching me greedily. I instantly knew what he was thinking after seeing what looked like a leafy crown propped on his head.

"A new subject for me to rule over? Yes! Girly penguin, as your king, I command you to-" Julien began. A blind rage washed over me. I do not take orders. I do not submit to lower mammal morons. I especially do not appreciate being called anything but my name.

The lemur had less than a second to react before I was at his throat. He tried to pry my flipper from his neck, but I wouldn't let go. The ringtail froze up, more curious than afraid. I glared daggers at him. Then I ferociously hissed, "You are not my king. I do not take orders from you. My name is Sylvia, I suggest you use it. That being said, if you step out of line again, I will not hesitate to rip your heart straight out of your chest. Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth, or do we have a problem?"

The lemur nodded silently and tried to gulp. I released my grip, anger completely gone. He reclaimed his seat when I backed away. Then I returned to the table and stood by Skipper's side. Even from a distance, I could see that the lemur was trembling in fear. I held my head high, feeling pretty indifferent about how the other animals viewed me at this point. _Let them swim in terror,_ I thought. _It won't matter soon enough_.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Skipper watching me as if he were in a trance. I nodded to indicate that he should get on with it. Then he continued, "Sylvia unfortunately left something very important behind in New Jersey. We're leaving now and returning tomorrow. If we don't come back in time, do not be alarmed. Just please keep Alice away from our exhibit." Everyone nodded in assent. It was time to leave. I was finally able to relax when we left that zoo. I wondered what the penguins thought of me now.

(Skipper's POV)

We sat atop a bus that Kowalski knew would take us close to the Hudson. The five of us sat in complete silence. There was a strange charge in the air around us. I was getting unnatural vibes from my left. They seemed to be coming from Sylvia. She felt like a threat to me for some reason. I didn't like it. Perhaps I felt this way because of how she handled her conflict with Ringtail. She wasn't as timid as I thought she was. Sylvia had a savage side to her - a savage side that was oddly compelling. I felt attracted to the danger present when she had that lemur by the throat. I couldn't help but stare at her in awe when she returned to my side and stood proudly, not caring about the fear swimming through our audience. It was almost as if a beast was living inside her, desperate to claw its way out.

I gawked at Kowalski to make sure I wasn't the only one who had seen it. For a few seconds, he had that look on his face again. He suspected something was wrong, though I had no idea what. Kowalski would tell me if there was some type of real threat, so I had to dismiss it for now and focus on the mission.

I could already smell the river when the bus suddenly screeched to a stop.

"This is our stop," Kowalski warned and we all jumped off, cautiously sneaking around the humans.

"Move out," I commanded in a low tone. We slid on our bellies all the way to the river's edge, narrowly avoiding the cars in the packed streets.

When we arrived, Sylvia asked, "Do we board a boat or swim across?"

"There are all sorts of obnoxious complications involved with ships. We swim," I replied. The five of us stood at the edge and one by one, we dove into the cool water. I surfaced after plunging twenty feet along with the rest of the team...and Sylvia. We began to swim across, careful not to burn too much energy.

When we got out of the water, the sun disappeared over the horizon, dragging all of its beauty with it. The starless darkness that engulfed the sky was ominous. A chill went down my spine.

I turned to Sylvia and said, "Lead the way." She nodded and watched the streets. A taxi pulled up by the sidewalk. Once the humans were positioned so that they couldn't see us, we hopped onto the roof in wait.

"Are you confident about where we're going?" I questioned after the taxi took off with us on top. Sylvia nodded again, never once looking my way.

(Sylvia's POV)

A full moon hung low in the nearly starless night sky once we arrived at our destination. The tall oak trees formed a black jagged line across the navy blue sky that looked like a mountain chain. A gust of wind gently blew through the trees. I sniffed the air inconspicuously. Traces of fresh soil, dry leaves, and canine were being carried by the wind. Canine. Our timing had been perfect.

"Follow me," I instructed. I heard Skipper give orders to hit the water while I climbed up a tree. They leapt into the brook and followed behind me as I swiftly moved through the treetops. I soared from branch to branch, carefully judging their strength before jumping. I wouldn't be making the some foolish mistake twice.

We reached the wider, deeper section of the stream within five minutes. A low stone dam blocked off the waterway, creating a mini waterfall in the stream. The water wasn't completely blocked off – there was just enough going over the edge to help the fish survive and prosper.

The penguins stood at the base of the tree I was perched in. I watched the dam carefully and listened. Leaves rustled, twigs snapped from the overbearing weight of rogue deer, and the wind whistled ever so softly. I was listening for an unusual sound in Jersey - a howl. I was listening for a howl of loneliness and despair. One of longing and sadness. A call to bring me home.

Finally, the all too familiar cry sounded on my right way off in the distance. I did some quick calculations and determined that my friend was about two miles away from this tree. His howl was slightly different than I remembered - it was still sorrowful and empty. But he was also depressed. I had disappeared without a trace, and he was worried. My heart ached. I needed to see him tonight.

"Aa-rooo!" I called. My cry echoed through the park. I waited. Silence engulfed us all. Didn't he hear me?

Finally, I heard a reply. It was much closer. I howled again. He responded a minute later, sounding dangerously close. The howling stopped. A twig snapped near the dam. The penguins at the base of the tree assumed fighting stance. I watched the shadows. A dark figure threw itself into the moonlight. It bounded across the top of the stone dam. The figure stopped once it reached the other side and sat on its haunches. My eyes weren't deceiving me. It was him.

"Sylvia? Are you there?" a rough voice with a strange accent emanated from the creature. My heart jumped. It felt good to hear his voice again.

"Yes. I got your message," I responded, referring to my dream.

"Who are your companions?" he asked me.

"Skipper, Kowalski, Private, and Rico. They're penguins," I explained as I swiftly climbed down the tree.

My beloved friend trotted over to me as soon as I touched the ground. He nuzzled the back of my neck. I petted his furry snout affectionately. I was home, and he was happy. Unfortunately, I would have to leave him again. My heart ached just thinking about it. Tears welled up in my eyes. No. I had to stay strong. For Fang.

(Skipper's POV)

I couldn't believe my eyes. Sylvia was hugging a gigantic gray wolf.

"I was wondering if I got through the Network," he said in his gruff voice while Sylvia rubbed his furry neck. Private whimpered and took a step back. I moved a bit closer to reassure him. He gratefully accepted the protection.

"Fang, you always get through the Network," Sylvia stated when she finished petting him and she began to head towards the tree behind us. Okay, so the wolf's name was Fang. But what was the Network? What in the ham steak was that supposed to mean? What was going on here?

As Sylvia passed us, she whispered, "He's blind." I glanced at Fang. His eyes were completely still. They stared, unblinking and pale gray. It looked kind of creepy. I wondered how he got around without crashing into everything. Fang's ears rotated around like little radars. Perhaps he used his other senses to find his way around.

"Did you tell them about the -" Fang suddenly began to say, but Sylvia ran over to him and cut him off with a grunt. She pulled him to the side and they whispered back and forth fiercely.

After a while, Fang turned and directed, "Follow me."

The moon was shining brightly that night. As we trekked along, I was able to get a good look at Sylvia. She was slightly taller than I was, probably because she was incredibly thin - she needed to eat more. Her flippers were pretty long, and she had very glossy feathers. Sylvia's beak gave off a deep orange glow and had a slight bump that created a hooked tip. Then I noticed something that I hadn't noticed before. It was strange, because I had made eye contact several times but never noticed how brown her eyes were. Sylvia as a whole was actually pretty. You know, for a penguin.

Sylvia abruptly looked up and for a split second I thought I saw something silver and shiny under her chin. It could have been my imagination, but was it really just my paranoia? After all, I wasn't constantly dreaming about conspiracies. I had other things to think about, as well.

I caught myself staring, which I usually didn't do. I tore my gaze away from Sylvia, who seemed completely oblivious to what was going on around her. My eyes wandered over to the blind wolf. His ears rotated every other second, just like a pair of sonars. The wolf's eyes remained stuck. They didn't move. He didn't blink. Fang's muscles rippled underneath his furry coat with every step. This wasn't a guy I wanted to mess with. However, I did have to wonder how he could behave like a perfectly normal individual with his blindness. He walked in such a way that made me think that he wasn't blind at all.

We stopped moving abruptly. Fang herded us into a small group and faced a dark section of the trees, muscles completely tensed. His radar ears were pointed straight ahead. I heard a twig snap. Fang bared his jagged teeth and snarled at the noise. Something was hiding in the shadows. Two glowing yellow eyes appeared. My first thought was to attack, but Fang relaxed instantly. A whole body followed the eyes and I found myself staring at another wolf. This one was solid black and a little smaller than Fang.

"Go home, Sabrina," Fang grunted softly but firmly.

"Oh, your daughter. I haven't seen her in a while," Sylvia noted.

"Aye," Fang agreed. The she-wolf snuffed angrily and melted back into the trees. We continued on as if that had never happened.

Soon, we halted in front of a tall, hollow oak tree. Sylvia climbed up and disappeared into a hole on the side. She came back out with a book and climbed back down.

"May I inquire as to what that is?" Kowalski asked.

"My history," she responded.


End file.
